Ongoing

Board Meetings

Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter

28 September 2017

If you are signed up to receive the Weekly Weeder
and have not been receiving it, here is a
troubleshooting
page to help. If this doesn't help, please let Sharon at
scgardenweb@gmail.com
know. Thanks.

Lost and Found

Lost: Pair of red-handled bi-pass pruning shears. Possibly left on
the ground near the plots to the north of the tool shed or at the tool
washing station. If found, please contact Suzanne Bradford via email at
budscud@gmail.com.

What to do in your garden in October

Plant:

Vegetable plants.
Chinese Cabbage, Collards (and other Greens), Lettuce, Spinach, Turnip,
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chinese Greens, Lettuce, and Spinach
can be planted throughout the fall, if they are given frost protection.

Perennials, trees, and
shrubs. Plant Columbine (in a shady location) now in order
to have those springtime blooms.

Bluebonnets - Time to plant!

With a little patience,
you can create a patch of bluebonnets in your own yard, ranch or roadside.
Although this beautiful wildflower can be found across Texas every spring,
bluebonnets can be tricky to get established. It may take several years
to establish a good stand of bluebonnets and they do require some
particular conditions to thrive. But once they are going, your bluebonnets
should reseed and reappear each spring.

Plant the seeds in October and November (early October is best).

Texas bluebonnets are annual plants, meaning they go from seed to
flower to seed in one year. They germinate in the fall and grow
throughout the winter, and usually bloom around the end of March to
the mid-May. Around mid-May, they form a seedpod, which is green at
first but turns yellow and then brown. Sometime between the yellow
and brown form of the seedpod, the seeds mature. The seedpods pop
open, releasing small, hard seeds.

Planting Tips

Texas bluebonnets are adapted to the rocky, alkaline soils of the Hill
Country – and to its frequent droughts. In fact, they thrive in heavily
disturbed, poor soils.

Texas bluebonnets produce large, hard-coated seeds that may cause
them to have a low germination rate the first year or two. This is
nature's "insurance" so that, in case of drought, residual seeds are
left in the soil for the following year. As the hard seed coats wear
down from abrasion and decay, with some water the seedlings begin to
sprout.

While that hard seed coat is an excellent mechanism for survival
during unfavorable years, it can frustrate the gardener who wants a
spring display of colorful blooms the first year after planting. Adding
to a gardener's frustration, not all seedlings that germinate
successfully establish and grow to maturity. But don't despair. Over
the years, researchers and gardeners have figured out how to propagate
and cultivate bluebonnets.

1. Scarify the Seeds

To increase bluebonnet germination rate, scarify the seeds.
Scarification means scratching or nicking the seed coats to simulate
natural weathering processes. Once scarified, most seeds will germinate
quickly and should be watered for several weeks, especially if the
weather is dry.

You can use the following methods to scarify seeds:

physically nick the seeds with a knife (for small quantities)

rub the seeds with sandpaper

freeze the seeds overnight, then quickly pour boiling water over
the seeds and soak for several hours at room temperature

It is not recommended to scarify bluebonnet seeds that will not be
receiving water during dry periods in the winter and early spring.
Scarifying stimulates all of the seeds to germinate and does not leave
residual seeds for subsequent years in the event of a drought. In
addition, scarification can damage some seeds. It increases the number
of seeds vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and disease causing
organisms.

2. Ponder the Rhizobium

Like most legumes, the roots of bluebonnets work in association with
a bacterium called Rhizobium which improves plant growth and flowering.
Rhizobium allows for nitrogen fixation, the conversion of atmospheric
nitrogen to a form usable by plants.

Many soils already have naturally occurring Rhizobium, which makes
finding a source of Rhizobium and applying it unnecessary. One way to
determine whether Rhizobium inoculation has occurred is to look at the
roots of an established plant. If there are nodules (small, rounded
lumps containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria) on the roots, the bluebonnets
have been inoculated by the bacteria. If you are not sure if Rhizobium
is present and you can find a source, go ahead and add it. Rhizobium
can be applied to the seeds before they are planted, or to the soil
after germination has taken place. Applying the bacteria before the
seeds are planted probably is the most efficient and easiest method.
Lightly dampen the seeds so the Rhizobium powder will stick easily.

How Much To Plant

The Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation recommends
a seeding rate of 10 to 12 pounds per acre. At that rate, an ounce (which
contains between 850 and 1,000 seeds) will cover about 200 square feet.

This is approximately five seeds per square foot. Using that rate,
maximum display probably would be reached the second or third year
after planting. If cost is not a consideration, your area is small
or you want a good display quickly, seed companies recommend using
8 to 10 seeds per square foot. At that rate an ounce will cover
approximately 135 square feet, and half a pound covers 1,000 square
feet.

An acre will require 20-30 pounds of seeds. (Keep in mind those
seeding rates have been determined on a single species basis and
should be modified if you are planting other species with bluebonnets.)

Choose a sunny, well-drained location with slightly alkaline soil for
Lupinus texensis. South and west-facing slopes will encourage earlier
spring growth and flowering. L. subcarnosus, which prefers the sandy
soils found in areas of East Texas, is also available commercially in
limited amounts and also requires a sunny, well-drained site.

How to Plant Bluebonnet Seeds

If your site is not weedy and you plan only to interseed bluebonnets
into existing vegetation, the process is relatively easy. Mow the
vegetation to 6-8 inches and rake up the thatch. Try to open up some
bare areas to allow the seeds to make contact with the soil. Prepare
weedy ground by using the techniques outlined in Soil Preparation in
Gardening and Landscaping with Native Plants. For bare ground, plant
seeds on a lightly tilled or slightly roughened soil surface for
optimum seed-soil contact.

One rule applies to all wildflower planting, good seed-soil contact
is essential. Contact with the soil helps retain moisture around the
seeds, which is necessary for germination, and provides a substrate
for seedling growth. Hand broadcasting is the simplest seeding method
and works well. You may dilute the seeds by mixing them with sand to
easily achieve even coverage. Press seeds firmly into the ground with
your hands or walk over the area.

Maintaining Your Bluebonnet Patch

Water your bluebonnets, if possible, using light, well-spaced
waterings. Although bluebonnets require some moisture to germinate
and grow, they do not like saturated soil. If fall or winter rainfall
is low, an occasional watering will help ensure success.

As a general rule, you do not need to fertilize. L. texensis because
it is adapted to alkaline soils that can be low in nutrients, perhaps
because of the presence of Rhizobium. Fertilizing is not recommended
and may encourage leggy and weak plants with more leaves than flowers.
However, if your seedlings do not appear to be growing vigorously,
they may needRhizobium, or you may want to fertilize lightly in early
spring.

Do not mow until the plants have formed mature seedpods. Bluebonnet
seeds usually mature six to eight weeks after flowering. When mature,
the pods turn yellow or brown and start to dry. By mowing after the
seeds have matured, you will allow the plants to reseed for next year.

Weeder Content

Should you have any content to add to the Weeder, email your
article or suggestion to
pporter_scg@austin.rr.com.
On normal weeks content should be received by end of day Wednesday.